Peer Pressure

Last week the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl. Living near Baltimore, you would think we would be excited. Being raised near Cleveland you would know we were not.
I'm not not sure why professional sports bother me so much. I know I am a poor looser so I don't like to compete at many things. Maybe if Cleveland had better sports teams I would feel different but I don't think so, The Browns, Indians and Cavs have all been good at some point.I just think we spend too much time, emotion and money on watching someone play a game. My opinion I know, most don't agree and that's okay. My dad had season tickets in the Dawg Pound at Cleveland Stadium and when he died Charlie used the money we gave him from what my dad left us to get himself season tickets for that year. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan just not a fanatic and I was happy for them.
My problem comes in when other people push their obsession off on me. We don't need to be woken up at 11:30 at night with yelling, screaming and fireworks. I'm pretty sure the neighborhood wouldn't be too happy with me for celebrating anything else that way. Why is it ok to show up to work in a jersey when in the same office it's not acceptable to even wear jeans? Sami at 3 in a paid pre school schouldn't have her learning time taken away with Raven fever. Nor should any of our kids be peer pressured. Ella and Jack are confused about where their loyalties should lie. They know we all support our Ohio teams because we are proud of where we come from but they are being shown in school that they should support a different team. They shouldn't feel like they have to choose between their family and school over a sports team. Don't get me started on what they aren't allowed to talk about at school.

In the 80's we were stationed at Ft. Carson in Colorado. We were lucky (?) enough to be there when the Denver Broncos went to the Super Bowl, two times. The same obsessions were going on then. The only problem, we were raised Browns fans and were raising our children as Browns fans. Fun Right? Wrong. Bronco or orange and blue day at school may not seem like much but when you have little  money and your 9 year old is under peer pressure from everyone in the school including the adults you do what it takes to get him that Elway jersey. In the years to come I even appliqued a jacket for him because we couldn't afford what everyone else had. His John Elway obsession went into adulthood and the whole family (Browns fans included) supported him. I get pains in my stomach to this day remembering how much I wanted to buy him all those Bronco things and couldn't. Talk about peer pressure, I was the one who crumbled to it, more for my child than I would ever have for myself.

My son in law is returning home from a tour in Afghanistan tonight. Do you think they'll shut the city down and throw him a parade? They've already seen their fireworks and I'm pretty sure there will be people screaming and crying and throwing parties though. Welcome back, Shawn. Thank You, we love you.

I Hope You Dance

I Hope You Dance

http://www.vxv.com/video/FKACvJXsYNxa/i-hope-you-dance-lyrics.html

I've always tried to teach my kids to dance in the rain. When they were young we actually danced in the rain and when they got older I hope I showed them by my words and actions how to make the best out every situation. Recently it's been hard. I've actually become lost for words when trying to give them advice.

Just a little update.

Shawn got a call from his new unit and they wanted him to report a month early, March 5th. He got it pushed until the day after Jack's birthday though. He'll be leaving the day after his son turns four. He'll spend a couple of months before and after his nine month deployment with his new unit. Keeping this young family apart for most of a full year. How do I tell Jennifer to dance in the rain when her husband as a Mental Health Specialist is in the front line of a battle zone trying to make sure those soldiers have someone to talk to?

Charlie has a chance to stay in the same job field and get a job that is just a job to support his young family or take this opportunity to go to school and learn to do something he'd enjoy. He has a job interview on Monday. Time will tell. As for Jennifer she tells the kids Daddy is going on an adventure and they get to live with Grams and Pops, what fun.

Thomas in the mean time has embraced his love for God and will be in Africa for the next week. http://thomas-dennison.blogspot.com/.

Come to think of it as I write this I realize my kids ARE dancing in the rain. I love you guys and am very proud of you.

Life is full of Choices

I had some one tell me this week that her family couldn't do anything with the family during the week because THEY had jobs but it was easier for us because we don't. This is a sore spot with me. It's not like since we don't go to a job we don't do anything or have any responsibilities to work around. We CHOOSE to put family first because that's what makes us happy but it's by no means easy. I remember how irritated I used to get as a stay at home mom or even when I was working in schools (to be on the same schedule as the kids) and people would tell me how lucky I was to be able to spend more time with our family. I am lucky yes but it was the CHOICES that we made that made it possible to spend more time at home. We couldn't always buy whatever we wanted and we hid from our kids how hard it was to make sure they had what they needed and wanted because that's what made us happy.
Now we CHOOSE to support the CHOICE of our duel income son and daughter in law by trying to take some of the pressure away from them by providing child care. We also help our one income son and his family and daughter and her family by supporting their CHOICES as much as we can.
Ok, rant over. On to a few pictures of another week with two people who don't "work". Sorry, I said the rant was over didn't I?

Who wouldn't want to quit their paying job to spend days with a little girl who drinks the juice off her fresh fruit? Ok, so maybe some people. I get it.
The duck is back! Some teenagers broke the bouncing duck from our playground last winter and it was finally replaced last week. For some strange reason we missed that duck.Our neighborhood had a cook out and we had someone making balloon animals. Sami got an Elmo. Don't squeeze too tight.Ella got a balloon crown. They also had a caricature artist.Sami didn't want to sit still for the artist so her big sister was entertaining her. Sami adores her!

We wanted to add a slide to our backyard swing set. So Tom and I designed a little fort to add on.

Shawn and Jack came to "help".Jack had to measure everything, twice.

Of course I had to come over and make sure they were doing everything right.

and Lily had to put her two cents in.

Yep, it works.Now for the finishing touches

Look at that girk go! I had to slow her down.

"How tall are you Daddy?"

Ella graduated from kindergarten this week so we ALL went to cheer her on.

That's her holding her dress out like a princess. Aunt Nenni made her a special dress for the occasion.Thomas had his kids graduating too. They all love him. It's so touching to see and to hear people chatting about how their kids were going to miss Mr. Dennison.It was a beautiful day outside for the fetivities and we were able to sit under a bunch of trees but this one little girl kept getting in trouble for getting off the blanket her mom had spread on the ground so she decided to hide behind Natalie.It was long for Lily too (three classes) but she still fought sleep.

Jack really looks up to Ella and was proud of her.

Thomas got the crowd worked up. Unlike other graduations he told us to cheer any time we felt the need. The more noise the better.Jack was getting a little bored so I let him use my camera

"Look at me Papa"

We had to pull the binkys out for the girls.

Then it was Ella's turn, thank you Ms. Barnaba.

Our graduate!

Another great week! We're off now for a Father's Day camping week end in Gettysburg.

It's not a life for everyone but it sure makes us happy so I'll try not to judge you for your choices if you try not to judge me for mine.